Sabbath School

2018-03-31T14:07:37Z

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{{About|the Seventh-day Adventist church service on Saturday}}
{{Seventh-day Adventism}}
'''Sabbath School''' is a function of the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]],<ref>http://www.sabbathschoolpersonalministries.org/sabbathschool</ref>[[Seventh Day Baptist]], <ref>http://seventhdaybaptist.org/community/worship-resources/</ref> [[Church of God (Seventh-Day)]],<ref>http://www.churchofgod-7thday.org/publications/quarterlies.html</ref> some other [[Sabbath in seventh-day churches|sabbatarian]] denominations, usually comprising a song service and Bible study lesson on the [[Sabbath]]. It is usually held before the church service on Saturday morning, but this may vary.

==Activities==
Sabbath School usually begins at 9:30am or 10:00am on Saturday [[mornings]] before the [[worship service]] starts. The Sabbath School service for adults typically has two portions. The first portion begins with a song service, followed by a mission emphasis and a short talk. The second, and larger portion, is the lesson study. Different churches conduct Sabbath School in many ways, mostly teaching on the same topic or reading in a given week, as each quarter of the year has a different theme that reflects Bible, doctrinal, or church lifestyle teachings. The lesson booklet is called the "quarterly."

Sabbath School may be conducted in one large class, or the congregation may separate into smaller groups for discussion in the sanctuary or in different rooms. Participation is not restricted to Church members. Young people often meet separately. After Sabbath School the church service begins, usually at 11:00am.

On the last Sabbath of the quarter, or the 13th Sabbath, a special collection is taken for a [[missionary]] project. During the "13th Sabbath Program," youngsters may present a music or acting special based on the subject learned that quarter or explain the traditions and dress in the attire of the countries or world regions which offerings collected will benefit. Communion Service preceded by footwashing may take place on or right after the 13th Sabbath.

A 2002 worldwide survey of local church leaders estimated that 67% of Adventists, including 63% of under-18s, "attend Sabbath School nearly every week".<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20041115000000/http://www.adventist.org/world_church/official_meetings/2002annualcouncil/strategic-issues-report.pdf Three Strategic Issues: A World Survey]". [[General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists]], 2002. See question 4, on p19 etc. For youth, see question 58</ref>

==Teachers==
Sabbath School teachers are usually [[Laity|lay people]] selected by a designated coordinator, board, or committee. Normally, the selection is based on a perception of character and ability to teach the Bible rather than formal training in education, although some Sabbath School teachers have a background in [[education]] as a result of their occupation. Some churches offer courses in teaching, or hold teachers' classes to go over the lesson for that Sabbath; other churches allow volunteers who make a profession of faith to teach without training.

==Study guides (Seventh-day Adventist)==

===Adult lesson===

[[Adult]] church members are provided with the ''Adult Bible Study Guide'' (formerly known as ''Sabbath School Quarterly'') issued four times a year. It is also known as the "Quarterly"<ref>[http://www.pacificpress.com/index.php?pgName=splSearch&sku=10967400 Pacific Press Publishing Association - Search]</ref> and the "Lesson". It is published by [[Pacific Press Publishing Association]]. Sabbath School quarterlies are Bible study guides that cover a specific topic or book of the Bible every quarter. The quarterly is designed to be read during the [[week]], so that during Sabbath School, the class members are ready to discuss questions and topics raised in that lesson in small groups. The Adult Sabbath School always has a heavy focus on the [[Bible]]. All [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventists]] around the world use the same Sabbath School quarterly, [[translation|translated]] into the necessary [[languages]] (with few exceptions such as Germany, where members cover the same topic with different material). {{As of|2012}} the [[editing|editor]] of the Adult Sabbath School lessons was [[Clifford Goldstein]].

===Other lessons===
At the same time as the adult study, [[children]] attend classes for their age group. Typical age group divisions are Beginner (infants), Kindergarten (K), Primary (Grades 1-3), Junior (Grades 4-6), Earliteen (Grades 7-8), Youth (High School), and Collegiate (College and Young Adult). Each age division has its own specific quarterly, which is titled by the class name up to Primary. Juniors and Earliteens often share the same quarterly entitled ''PowerPoints''. Some Earliteen groups use a separate publication entitled ''Real Time Faith''. Youth use either ''Cornerstone Connections'' or ''Collegiate Quarterly (CQ)''. Some churches give the children a weekly [[magazine]] at the close of Sabbath School. Kindergarten receives ''[[Our Little Friend]]'', Primary receives ''[[Primary Treasure]]'', Juniors and Earliteens receive ''[[Guide (Adventist magazine)|Guide]]'', and the Youth receive ''[[Insight (Adventist magazine)|Insight]]''.

==See also==
* [[Seventh-day Adventist worship]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://absg.adventist.org/ Adult Bible Study Guide] official website
*[http://hopess.hopetv.org Hope Sabbath School] An interactive study of the word of God
*
*[http://www.adventistarchives.org/documents.asp?CatID=166&SortBy=1&ShowDateOrder=True Sabbath Schools ool Quarterly], Adventit Archives
*[http://www.adventistworld.org/article.php?id=330 Lee Dunstan], "From Here to There: The incredible journey of the Adult Bible Study Guide" in ''Adventist World'' (June 2008)
*[http://www.ssd.org/sspm/ss.html Sabbath School Division] of the Southern Asia Pacific Division
*http://www.adventist.org/bible_study/sabbath_school.html.en
*[http://www.spectrummagazine.org/articles/Sabbath+School Sabbath School Center] from ''[[Spectrum (magazine)|Spectrum]]'' magazine
*http://www.ssnet.org/
*[http://www.creativeministry.org/article.php?id=86 Contemporary Comments] on the lesson by the [[Center for Creative Ministry]]
*[http://www.gracelink.net/article/2/ Beginner - Primary] online lessons.
*[http://www.juniorpowerpoints.org/article/3 Junior] online lessons.
*[http://www.realtimefaith.net/archives Teen] online lessons.
*[http://www.cornerstoneconnections.net/article/189/teachers/teacher-s-guide-to-lessons# Youth] online lesons.

[[Category:Seventh-day Adventist Church]]
[[Category:Sunday schools]]

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Sabbath School